A Lesson in Time
by Laura Chant
Summary: Sometimes, time is very hard to understand.
1. Chapter 1

Tartarus  
A long, long time ago.

In the pits of Tartarus, four sisters, each with varying degrees of hideousness, sat by a window, which surveyed the realms and skies of Tartarus. Not that they cared. These sisters were preoccupied with their own business … and plans to cause each other grievous bodily harm.

The first sister, Tyche, who sat on the window ledge, wore nothing but the ebony skin she was born into, and the long shining black hair that hung to her knees. She was by far the prettiest … at least on the outside, because inside, she was just as rotten as her three sisters.

The second sister, Clotho, was the youngest. She was short and plump, with a sickly green coloured skin that bulged at her joints. She resembled a toad, with a wide smile and pointed teeth, and huge, protuberant eyes.

The third sister, Lachesis, was fairly average, though her long fingers were covered in sores. Her hair was mousey brown, and fell in frizzy strands in front of her face and boyishly flat chest. Her skin was deathly white with smudges of black under her bloodshot eyes.

The last sister, Atropos, towered above the rest. She was incredibly tall and her grey skin was pulled harshly over her bones. Her fingernails were long and yellowish, and her eyes absent of any pupils. She spoke in soft whispers, which gave the other three painful goosebumps on their arms and legs.

'What a fine thread, Clotho,' Tyche cooed, licking her rose red lips, 'so beautiful, so _perfect_.'

'What do you want, Tyche? Your voice drips not only with the stench of your breath but the scheme you're brewing,' Clotho hissed, holding her thread out of her sister's reach.

'I was merely giving praise to my wonderful sister, yet she throws it back in my face,' Tyche pouted.

'See through your petty plans, we do, you can't outsmart your own blood,' Atropos muttered, as Lachesis nodded eagerly behind her.

Tyche fumed, angry red sparks crackling in her eyes. 'Fine!' She spat. 'What are my plans then? Since you seem to have added mind reading to your list of _talents_ … and I use the word loosely.'

'My dear sister, the mere idea of you trying to conceal an idea from us with _your_ subtlety is as laughable as you not sleeping with anything that doesn't have genitals.' Atropos cackled, as with her bloodied knife she sliced through another thread that promptly shrieked and splattered a few drops of blood on the stone floor below.

'Oh I hope your lips rot off!' Tyche shrieked, but was only answered by louder laughter from her three sisters.

'You want to make this thread,' Lachesis said softly, 'this _spirit_ godlike. You want to turn this soul into your own little pet.'

Tyche raised her chin. 'So what if I do?'

'You can't keep making gods among mortals! Living out your own little fantasies through your creations!' Atropos shouted, lifting her knife swiftly above her head and hurling it at her sister. Tyche tilted her head as the blade skimmed past and impaled itself on the wall behind her.

'Fine, I won't make the soul among mortals … I make it among the magicks.'

'Don't be stupid,' Lachesis laughed, her voice low and raspy, 'the magicks are no better than the mortals. They just have the ability to kill each other without slipping blood.'

'But they are more powerful. They respect the ways of nature … and they're ambitious, clever,' Tyche paused, sighing, 'and they make wonderful little play things.'

Tyche pulled the knife out of the wall and threw it back at her sister, who caught it in her bony hand and stabbed another thread, breaking it in two.

'Let me make my hero, sisters,' she pleaded, swooping in between the three, her bottom lip caught in her pearly white teeth, 'I want my spirit to be one who's respected, who one day, might have Zeus replicate its mortal face among the stars! He'll be a saviour … the poor victim who strikes back against the oppressing force! I want my hero.'

'This hero will have no rest lives! It'll be one Greek tragedy after another! They'll be more drops of blood splattered in this time line than Zeus has had mistresses!' Clotho warned, as Atropos and Lachesis screamed with laughter.

'You'll live to regret this!' Lachesis backed.

'The mortals will discover your plan!' Clotho.

'They'll laugh at you!' Lachesis.

'And your soul will be victim of an onslaught of abuse and teasing!' Clotho.

'It'll be expected to do something amazing with each new breath of life it takes!' Atropos.

'Ah, but, my sisters,' Tyche grinned triumphantly, a manic look in her eyes as she held up the thread, it already beginning to glow with her magic, 'it _will_ always do something amazing.'

---

Divination Tower

April, 1977

'MR. POTTER!'

James's head snapped off the table, his glasses skewed, and drool dribbling down his chin.

'Wha-adda … wib .. Wha?' He snorted, grabbing onto the edge of the table before he toppled off his chair. Remus sighed exasperatedly.

'Ah, Mr. Potter, welcome to the land of the living. It's a wonderful place but if you continue to fall asleep in my lesson, I will be forced to throw you -without magic- out of the window, and since we are currently residing in a _tower_, I can't guarantee that you'll be with us for much longer. Nor that I will _care_.' The divination teacher raised a pencilled eyebrow, her red hair streaked liberally with grey was pulled back into a long plait which was woven with gold lace and fell to her lower back.

Professor Lufkin was far from the essence of all things mystical and ungodly. Brought up in the slums of Ireland she spoke with a low, husky Irish lilt and did nothing with grace, elegance or serenity. Death threats were a common occurrence in her classroom and a lot of the school suspected that there was more than leaves and water in her ever present mug of tea.

'Sorry,' James mumbled, rubbing his chin with the back of his sleeve. Remus was disgusted. They were _sixteen_ for Merlin's sake, and yet James still didn't seem to have any sense of etiquette. But neither did Sirius, Remus supposed, or Peter. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to imagine Sirius in any outfit that couldn't be described as 'scruffy'. He snorted when a red dress and garter made an appearance.

'Mr. Lupin, calm yourself.' Professor Lufkin hissed, throwing two thick leather bound books on Remus and James's table.

'As some of you may have realised, in a few months you'll be departing for your summer holidays and returning to enter your seventh and final year.' She emphasised by slamming another book on Lily Evan's table. 'But before I bid farewell I need to teach you the importance of time, matter, space, life, death, the sun the moon and the stars.' Another slam. 'Earth and it's spirits have an on going story that started millions of years ago and will continue for many more moons to come. It's like an ongoing novel, but sadly, the plot is slightly repetitive, as you all are about to discover.'

The Professor clapped her hands and on top of each book a golden necklace appeared with a small hour-glass attached to the end.

'This, my children, is a-'

'Time Turner! My … _Professor_! These are very rare … I mean, there's only a few hundred of them in the world!' Lily Evans gasped, holding it up to the sunlight which was peering in through the half closed curtains. The light bounced off it and reflected in her eyes, which were as wide as galleons and a vivid emerald green.

'Yes, Miss. Evans, there is around nine hundred and twenty time turners in existence, all of which _aren't_ available to purchase and are kept under strict lock and key in Ministries of Magic all over the world … and time.'

Remus panicked gaze darted between Professor Lufkin and James (who had that mad, rebellious 'I'm going to cause mayhem, destruction and panic all before bedtime!' look in his eyes).

'Why do we have them then?' Remus choked, as James picked the gold chain up and started poking it idly before swinging it around his head like a lasso.

'Because I have links in the Ministry, and a small class, it seemed logical to show you what I was teaching. I can't show you how fragile time is from a classroo-Mr Potter if you do that again, by my estimate you'll either end up fourteen years into the future or slightly concussed with my fist hitting your jaw.'

Marlene McKinnon's hand shot into the air. 'Professor, what has this got to do with Divination?'

Professor Lufkin sighed. 'This area of the course involves a lot of magical areas, such as History of Magic, Divination, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and to a degree, Transfiguration. In it, you study how your spirit fits into different times lines which touch all over the world.'

'Are you talking about … past lives?'

'Yes. In this course you discover who you were, and how their lives have effected yours. Mr. Potter here might be so sleepy all the time because he used to be narcoleptic, or perhaps just fat, only _time_ will tell.'

'So, what do we have to do?' Lily asked, biting her bottom lip.

'Well, Miss Evans, at the minute, nothing. _I_ am going to show you the importance of life. In a sense. How the human being affects the world and how the world influences it. I'll show you how one soul is destined to meet up with other souls no matter what body it inhibits, and how we carry on living over many millennia.'

The Professor clapped her hands again and more Time Turners appeared. 'There's only eleven of you, so you each will receive a Time Turner. In the next lesson, we will investigate how they work, and I will hopefully show you a real time line. For homework, I want you to read the first three chapters of your textbooks and _not to break your Turner_. Although they don't function at the minute, due to several stopping and protective charms I put on them, they will soon, and I will show you how to work them.'

Lily grinned at her dark haired friend who sat next to her, as she looped the golden chain around her neck, tucking the necklace into her robes.

A few minutes later, Remus followed James down the ladder, awkwardly trying to hold on to the thick book and not fall on his arse at the same time.

'I mean,' Remus said, 'it's not really clear what we're going to learn.'

'Yes it is. We're going to learn who we were in the past and how they made me who I am. I betcha _you_ were a girl.'

Remus scowled, and was about to reply but Lily Evans jumped down off the ladder and interrupted.

'Well whatever the hell you were, Potter, I'm pretty sure you were still an arrogant prick.' She grinned at Remus, before turning on her heel and walking in the opposite direction. James stared after her, ruffling his hair.

'Do you think we'll find out our future?' He asked. His voice barely above a whisper.

'Maybe, to a degree.' Remus suggested, a smile tugging his lips.

'She's in my future, Moony.' James nodded, smiling so his friend could see all of his teeth.

'Of course,' Remus sighed, as they walked down the deserted corridor. _She'll be the one issuing the restraining order_. Remus thought, as he skimmed the index of his text book. 'Lunch?' Remus suggested after a stint, pulling his eyes away from his precious reading material.

But James was already gone.

---

Hogwarts

November, 1002 AD

The bottom of her dark blue dress trailed over the muddy floor as she swooped rounded another corner and hurriedly walked towards a room on the bottom floor.

'Rowena!'

She stopped, rolling her eyes as she turned around to face her 'stalker'.

'Godric, this is most inappropriate, I have my children to teach and _you_ have the North Tower to complete with _Salazar_.'

He finally caught up with her, doubling over and panting. 'My dear girl, you do put up a chase.'

'Only when I don't want to be caught,' she scowled, turning on her heel again.

'Rowena, wait-'

'Go and build your tower, Godric, and leave me to teach my children.'

Godric sped ahead and skidded to a halt in front of her, the candlelight from a holder on a wall flickering over his light brown hair and making the sliver stitching on Rowena's bodice shimmer. He stuck the palm of his hand out between them and a lily flower with pink tinges on the petals materialised.

'For the Lady Ravenclaw,' he beamed, handing her the flower which she accepted with another roll of her green eyes.

'Honestly, Godric.'

'Don't you like it?'

'You're just showing off.'

'I am not!'

She sighed, but placed the flower on top of the stack of books she was carrying, staring at it fondly for just a second. Godric beamed triumphantly. They both continued walking at a slower pace.

'And what are you teaching today, m'lady?'

'The properties of time, how the past effects the present and the future. How every little grain of sand, speckle of mud or blade of grass is precious and effects the future in many different and uncharted ways. And of course the theory of past life regression, time lines, and time charts.' She said offhandedly.

'My girl, these children are fifteen!' He spluttered. Rowena smirked gleefully.

'But they are _my_ children.'

'And isn't that Salazar's area anyway?'

Rowena grumbled, the smile sliding off her face as she stopped outside a heavy oak door. 'I can do it just as well as _he_ can.'

'Of course, dear. I was merely suggest-'

'Yes, yes,' she dismissed him, pushing the door open with her foot. Godric grabbed her upper arm to stop her going any further, the chatter from the students in the room abruptly died down.

'Why do you hate him so?' Godric murmured, sending a few death glares to students who dared shoot their two Professors inquisitive glances.

'Someday, my love,' Rowena whispered in a harsh undertone, glancing briefly around the classroom, the box of twenty or so tiny hourglasses sitting on her desk, 'you'll see Salazar in the same light both myself and Helga have seen him.'

'What is that supposed to mean? Who are you to mark a man like that? And an _innocent_ man at that! He helped us erect this school from the grounds mere years ago, and yet you have done nothing but slander his name!' He hissed.

Rowena looked on him with pitying eyes. Salazar was Godric's friend. But Rowena had studied the time lines, she'd double checked them, _triple_ checked them, and in every life, every generation, there was (and will be) the same outcome. Rowena levitated her books, and flower, to her desk before planting her hands on her hips, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

'You listen to me, and you mark my words, Godric Gryffindor, that man is the work of Lucifer _himself_. He does not care for us, or our school, nor the people that reside in its walls. The only person Slytherin cares about is _Slytherin_, and the purity of magical blood … and you _know_ how I feel about that.'

Godric sagged against the doorframe, the students continuing with a quieter level of chatter.

'He is just … befuddled in his opinions, he means no insult to your heritage, nor your magical ability, he is just,' Godric sighed, 'I will talk to him, again. I will make him see reason.'

Rowena stepped into the classroom clapping her hands and the class immediately delved for their books, quills and wands.

'It is that,' she continued, not looking at him, 'that will be your downfall, Professor.'

But Godric had already left.

---

Gryffindor Common Room

April, 1977

In the Common Room, later that night, Remus Lupin read aloud to his three friends from an old squishy arm chair that had foam falling out of the back. Peter was sprawled over the floor, Sirius was sitting on the sofa with James at the other end, his legs propped up on a small table that lay in between the four.

'The Turner has been around for around one thousand years, the first recordings of them being used was with Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the four founders of Hogwa-'

'She was in love with Godric,' Peter said from the ground.

'Relevant, as always, Wormtail.' Sirius grumbled.

'No well, that's a rumour, the history records show that both Rowena and Godric married different people after their argument with Salazar.' Remus corrected, his finger left on the line he was last reading.

'Not surprised old Godric liked her, you seen her portrait in Ravenclaw Tower?' Sirius whistled, 'She's a looker.'

'Only _you_, would be able to fancy a woman who's nearly one thousand years old.' Remus remarked, turning the page. 'Anyway. Time Turners work by connecting the Turner's own time line to the main Time Line. Similar to how small country roads can lead off into a 'highway'.'

James, Sirius and Peter developed a rather blank expression.

'Okay, basically, it's saying each of us have our own life line. Like in Greek Mythology, the three fates, who controlled both the mortals and god's lives. Clotho who spins the Thread of Life, Lachesis who allots the length of the yarn, and Atropos who cuts it, ending the person's life.'

'Who cuts our string then?'

'Well, when a wizard or witch is born into a wizarding family, he or she is given gifts from various family members and friends. But there is one gift, usually given by the parents, called -surprise, surprise- the Thread of Life. It's like a film strip, but, well … magical. It wraps itself around the babies chest and disintegrates into their skin, only when that person dies does it make an appearance again. It's like a birth certificate for magical folk.'

'So the parents control how long their children live?' Sirius choked, suddenly realising he was severely fucked if _his_ parents had any say in how long he's allowed to live.

'No,' James interrupted, looking at his own textbook, 'they're just Clotho. Lachesis and Atropos are some other godly force no magic has any control over. There might not even be a Atropos, if Professor Lufkin is suggesting our soul keeps going, and going, and going.'

'Well there has to be in some sense,' Peter said, pushing himself off the floor, 'I mean, maybe she just cuts off the mortal life, not the actual soul.'

There was a long silence, as the fire in the grate crackled and steadily got lower, and various Gryffindors filed out to their dormitories.

Both Sirius and Peter were beginning to regret not taking Divination, as they felt they were missing out on something. Especially Sirius, who hated not knowing something, particularly if it indirectly involved him. Remus on the other hand, wasn't sure he wanted to know. James was most probably right, he was a girl in a past life with an unhealthy cleaning addiction, who killed herself in a minuscule flat in Chipping Sodbury because her favourite character in Coronation Street had turned out to be gay or some other malarkey.

Remus sighed, turning the page again, realising he didn't really want to know his future either. It was common knowledge that werewolves tended to die young. If they didn't bleed to death from self inflicted wounds, their bodies couldn't keep up with the monthly changes and aged almost twice as quickly. Remus had even found a grey hair yesterday, he wasn't impressed.

---

Divination Tower

April, 1977

'Very good Mr. Lupin, yes, Greek Mythology still plays an important role in magical society, and some of their believes and ways of life are still respected, even today.' The Professor sat on her desk, her long black robes spilling over the edge and puddling on the floor, covering her shoes.

'The fates _exist_?'

'Perhaps … it hasn't been proven, but there must be someone, or something spinning the Threads of Life and controlling them. Actually, on controlling them, there's one fate you missed out on Mr. Lupin.'

Remus raised an eyebrow, while James feigned shock.

'It was claimed that Tyche was one of the Fates also. She is said to be the most powerful of the sisters because beauty, virtue, and good fame are in her keeping, and also because she finds pleasure in dashing immoderate hopes. I guess you could say she's the author of each life, she just doesn't know how the plot begun or how long it will go on for.'

'But of course, the Fates are part of a wider group who I call the Divine Sisters, who also control aspects of mortal life. There were the Erinnyes. Three sisters, Tisiphone, Megara, and Alecto, the agents of divine justice. They were born from the drops of blood that fell after Cronus castrated Uranus.'

James choked suddenly, losing his seating as he gasped for breath he fell off his chair.

'They were so frightening that they're name was not even _spoken_. They began their work at the entrance of Tartarus-'

Remus looked down at his text book.

"_Tartaus is the lowest region of the world, as far below earth as earth is from heaven. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, a bronze anvil falling from heaven would take nine days and nights to reach earth, and an object would take the same amount of time to fall from earth into Tartarus. Tartarus is described as a dank, gloomy pit, surrounded by a wall of bronze, and beyond that a three-fold layer of night. Along with Chaos, Earth and Eros, it is one of the first entities to exist in the universe_."

'-They weeded out those who had yet to atone for their sins. They also exercised their vengeance in the world for those who committed crimes against the gods, which included patricide. They punished through things such as wars, plagues, and a person's conscience.'

Professor Lufkin took a sip of her tea. 'There's also the Muses, of course. Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania. They were believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians. The Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory.'

'Then there's the Graces, daughters of Zeus and Eurynome and preside over acts of kindness and courtesy. They're always together and they were the queens of song with their companions, the Muses. The Hours, who are the daughters of Jupiter and Themis … they guard the gates of heaven and are in charge of all who enter Olympus. And last but not least, the Seasons.'

'Spring, summer, autumn and winter?'

'Close. Thallo, Auxo and Carpo. Nurses to Hera -such a wicked woman- they organise the seasons and added balance to nature.'

'They're all women,' Lily Evans breathed, her Time Turner still hanging around her neck.

'All women. Women are a force not to be reckoned with, my dear,' she said, sliding off her desk, 'sure look at Minerva McGonagall,' she added with a wink.

Fifteen minutes later, the room had been cleared of all tables and chairs, and the students sat in a circle around the Professor as she plunged the room into a golden glow.

'This,' she announced, 'is _my_ time line.'

It looked like a film reel, as it swooped out from her open hand and spun around the room, above the heads of the open mouthed students. Brief fragments of sound echoed around the room, crying, laughing, screaming, and incoherent talking rang in James's ears, as he caught brief images that were zooming around too fast to really make sense of.

'This line connects me to the main time line, that records ever event in mortal and immortal history.'

'How can we see this? I mean, it says in the text book that you can only see this after a person is dead.' Remus spluttered, his eyes darting back and forth between different images.

'No … well … you get a full beginning middle and end _copy_ once you die, which is then filed in the Ministry of Magic to prove your existence, and allows historians to study you in years to come. Each time line has a number, and if we can trace one of your lives, following the rest of them should be pretty simple. Normally you'll never see your time line, but I'm a special person,' she added in an annoyed tone.

The line disappeared. Professor Lufkin stumbled backwards, landing safely on a pile of pillows. She was incredibly pale, wisps of her greying red hair sticking in sweaty curls to her forehead. The wrinkles were pronounced around her eyes and on her forehead, as she took deep rattling breaths through her crooked yellowing teeth.

'She didn't look too good after that spell,' Lily commented, as she and Remus walked to the Gryffindor Common Room, 'must've took a lot out of her.'

'Probably,' Remus muttered.

'But it's fascinating, isn't it? All those Greek gods and goddesses, I mean, I always _knew_ women were powerful … because well, witchcraft dates much further back than wizardry, but it's just so wonderful to see that it's still so relevant in this society.'

Remus nodded, not really sure what to say. His hands were sweaty and his throat dry. _Stupid hormones, stupid hormones, stupid hormones_. He didn't even fancy her. But it seemed if he was in the slightest contact with anything even resembling female he got hot under the collar.

'I can't wait to track down my time line,' Lily grinned, skipping slightly alongside him, 'we probably knew each other in a past life, I'm pretty sure. I mean, ever since I met you in first year you've always attracted me somehow, this must be it!' She laughed.

'Sure it's not my animal magnetism? … Alright no need to be so cruel about it.' He murmured, as Lily doubled over giggling.

'No it's not that,' she gasped, still giggling, 'it's just that you're _Remus_, I've never really looked at you that way.'

'Ever thought of … oh say … _James_ in that way?'

Lily stopped giggling.

'He likes you, you know.'

'Really? I never knew. Queen of subtlety that boy, like hammering nine inch nails into your head.'

'You don't know how much he likes you, Lily, seriously,' Remus said, a desperate tone entering his voice, 'Sirius had to jump on him the other day and beat the crap out of him because he came _so _close to etching your name with a butter knife into his forehead.'

'Oh joy,' Lily rolled her green eyes, her pace quickening.

'Why do you hate him?'

'I don't hate, hate is an awfully strong word. I dislike his attitude more than anything, all this macho 'I'm magic therefore I hex' thing is not impressive. It's rather tiresome.'

'He doesn't hex people anymore … really. Just Sirius and … well … Snape on occasion.'

'Severus may be _unpleasant_ but he doesn't disserve that level of bullying, Remus,' Lily sighed, hoisting her books further up her chest, 'no one does.'

'But he called you a _you know what_,' Remus said in a strangled voice.

'He's just _confused_!' Lily said shrilly, shaking her head.

'Sure,' Remus muttered under his breath, 'he's misunderstood … they said the same thing about Greyback at a time.'

'About who?' Lily asked, perplexed.

Remus sighed. 'Doesn't matter.'

---

Quidditch Pitch

May, 1977

Sirius threw the quaffle at James, which hit his chest with a painful thump and knocked him off his feet.

'What. A. Girl.' Sirius mumbled, shaking his head.

'It's alright,' James said, pushing himself to his feet, 'I didn't need those kidneys.'

They were on the quidditch pitch on Sunday night, the sun was low in the sky and wind nipped at their faces. But, boys being boys, they didn't care. Both James and Sirius had the whole pitch to themselves without a slytherin or professor in sight.

'So what's the new plans on Legs then?' Sirius asked, throwing the quaffle up into the air and catching it again.

James scowled.

'Sorry, _Lily_ … I keep forgetting, you want her for her _personality_,' Sirius said, putting on a girlie voice. 'You can't shag a personality, Prongs!' Sirius warned, pointing a long finger at his best friend.

'I'm going to send her lilies,' James began, ignoring his friend, 'thousands of lilies … all white, with that little yellow stalky thing and, and pink edges, 'cause girls like pink, right?' Sirius nodded. 'I mean, they dress babies in it a lot … but that could be kids look like shaved monkeys rather than humans.'

'There's that greeting card sentimentality you've got nailed, Prongs.'

'You can talk,' James scoffed, 'now hit me.'

Sirius threw another quaffle which smacked James up the face, knocking his glasses off. Sirius rolled his eyes skyward.

'What about your Divination stuff?' Sirius asked, handing James his glasses which had landed somewhere at his feet.

'Er well I think I found my number.'

'Your number?'

'My life number … er, like,' James paused scratching his head, 'a reference number, you can look it up in Ministry documents and link it with other lives which are recorded as having the same number.'

'Oh, anyone interesting?' Sirius asked, lifting a beater's bat and swinging it through the air.

'Mr. Potter you were not Saint bleeding Patrick,' Professor Lufkin yelled the next day in Divination, holding up his homework parchment and waving it in front of his face.

'I am! I linked my timeline up with his!'

The class remained eerily silent. Professor Lufkin raised an eyebrow at him, her Irish accent more prominent.

'I refuse to believe you were the saviour of Christian Ireland.' She scoffed, scanning his parchment again for mistakes, mumbling under her breath in rapid Gaelic.

'Ah HA!' She shrieked, jabbing the parchment with her finger. She quickly called out a string of numbers and a tiny box appeared with a pop beside her head. In it a man with a long grey beard, deep purple robes and crystal blue eyes appeared.

'Not Saint Patrick, Mr. Potter, but your life and Patrick's are linked.'

'Holy Hades I'm Dumbledore!' James gasped pointing up at the screen.

'You are not,' she said, the usual scowl vanished from her face, 'you're Lir!'

Across the room, Lily Evans blanched.

'Lir?' James asked, his face contorting.

'The Children of Lir!' James stared blankly back at her.

'It's an Irish story,' Dorcas Meadowes, Lily's dark haired friend, interrupted, 'Lir's wife, Eva, died giving birth to his children, he really loved her. His kids were magical and stuff, and he re-married this woman … Aoife and she cursed them so that they were swans for nine hundred years who could talk and stuff.'

'Not the most eloquent version I've heard of the story but yes, Miss. Meadowes is correct.'

'What does that have to do with Saint Patrick?' Marlene McKinnon asked.

'Aoife said to the children that they'd spend three hundred on Lough Derravaragh, three hundred on the Straits of Moyle and three hundred on the Isle of Inish Glora. To end the spell they would have to hear the bell of the new God.' She waved her hand and the little box disappeared. 'The new God was of course Christ and it was St. Patrick that brought it to Ireland.'

Professor Lufkin looked at James's homework again, chewing on her bottom lip. Making her excuses she walked through a door behind her desk and disappeared into a private room. The class erupted into a low murmur of chatter as James leaned across the table and tried to looked at Remus's homework. Remus quickly crossed his arms over it and glared at James.

'What?' James asked, and offended tone entering his voice.

'I don't want you seeing,' Remus said, stuffing his homework into his bag.

'You WERE a woman!' James shouted triumphantly.

Remus blushed. Just then the Professor walked back in, looking oddly flustered.

'Mr. Potter, I've some what could be considered good news,' she said, still holding his homework, 'it turns out your line actually does run into Saint Patrick's sometime in the future.'

There were a few gasps around the classroom. James's grin grew wider.

'You see, it's very easy to make mistakes with your life numbers, often they're very similar, especially if you have close friends, linked in past lives and things.'

'But how do you mean _run into_?' Lily Evans choked, looking awfully pale.

'Well, Saint Patrick's line is ancient … I mean, it's stuff of legends … it's said that Tyche created it as her … well, as _hers_. But,' Lufkin said, waving a dismissive hand, 'that's not the point. It seems that the lines of both Lir and his wife Eva come back together and run along side Patrick.'

'But what does that mean?' James asked, tipping his chair back on two legs, seeming utterly untroubled by the news.

The Professor bit her lip, seemingly having an internal debate with herself as to whether or not to divulge her information. After a few seconds she sighed and continued talking.

'It seems, Mr. Potter, that you become a father in the near future.'

The silence that hung in the room was interrupted, as James Potter fell backwards off his chair, and Lily Evans slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

---

Note: More to come ... sorry this isspectacularly unbetaed ... my fault. I will edit it later but yes. Sorry D:


	2. Chapter 2

Divination Tower

May, 1977

Lily Evans was pretty sure she was in the middle of a panic attack, her breath had quickened and the room had this terrible habit of spinning.

'Would you calm down?' Dorcas ushered Lily into her Divination chair. 'You don't know it'll happen.'

'It will!' Lily hissed. 'Professor Lufkin said at the beginning of this year each life is _repetitive_, in some way or another, they repeat each other! And if he was Lir-'

'Yeah well maybe you won't, not like _that_!'

'Oh God, this is so bad, it's so bad,' Lily whined, biting the sleeve of her robe.

'Right, you lot, my wonderful sixth years,' Professor Lufkin said, striding into the room, her voice dripping with sarcasm, 'line up over there, it's time I showed you your turners.'

It was the right thing to say. The small class jumped off their chairs and literally clambered over each other to be first in line, their turners already clutched eagerly in their hands.

'You'll notice that along the outer circle of your turner, there are four tiny buttons. The first is if you want to go forward (or backwards) an hour, the second is days and the third is months, and the last, years. If you wanted to go forward an hour, you'd press the first button and spin the hourglass _away from your body _one time. Just once. '

'What's the maximum a turner can go?'

'Ten years either way. To go backwards you turn the hourglass _towards _your body.'

The Professor continued talking, though Lily, for probably the first time in her life, wasn't listening. She was staring intently at James who had his turner in his hands, had pushed a button and was spinning the hourglass away from himself. A few seconds later, he disappeared with a pop.

A few of the girls screamed, Professor Lufkin looked like she was ready to kill and Remus just glanced at the spot James had been standing moments before and rolled his eyes.

He re-appeared a few minutes later, looking slightly dazzled and his hair ruffled. 'Wow,' he mouthed before his legs buckled and he landed on his backside.

'MR. POTTER,' Professor Lufkin screamed, grabbing James roughly by his upper arm and throwing him onto a near by chair, 'HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU? YOU COULD'VE DIED, BEEN TRAPPED, BEEN _SEEN_-'

Her shrieks continued for a good half and hour, but James eyes had glazed over. Lily stared at him. It felt like she'd been punched in the stomach, her thoughts jumped around in her head, not really making sense, and she felt extremely light headed.

Just then James looked over at where she was standing, their eyes met and Lily's breath caught in her chest. _He knows_.

'Eva,' he mouthed, as Professor Lufkin continued to yell at him.

Lily realised with a jolt she was nodding, but even worse than that, she was crying.

---

Godric's Hollow

March, 1980

Sometimes, James surprises himself with how much he's in love with Lily Evans. When he turns over in the morning and sees her next to him, strands of her red hair fallen over her face, her lips slightly parted and her chest moving up and down slowly, his breath hitches in his throat and he has to stare at her for a few seconds before he remembers everything.

__

Lily Potter, my wife, my love, my best friend. His hand slips down below the bed covers and her runs his fingers lightly over her swollen tummy. _Carer of my child. Our baby. Our special baby._

Her eyes flutter open and he forgets to breathe again, her gorgeous green eyes look to him _first_ and a sleepy grin tugs at her lips.

'Hey honey,' she says.

'Hi.' It's all James can say, because sometimes he's just _speechless_ with how much he loves her.

They kiss. Drowsy morning kisses are the best. They wake you up better than caffeine or alarm clocks ever could. Especially _her_ kisses, because they make every inch of James feel _alive_.

He pulls back the covers and sits between her open legs, pushing her nightgown up over her belly and staring at her stomach in complete awe for a few minutes before leaning over and kissing it.

'Hello baby,' he whispers, as Lily chuckles to herself. His fingers glide over her bellybutton and down to her side, feeling for any sign of movement.

'It's probably asleep,' Lily yawns, her back arching slightly off the bed. Just then the baby kicks a good morning, making both its parents laugh.

'What does it feel like?' James asks, pressing his ear to his wife's belly.

'Like … fluttering, little butterflies in my stomach. Sometimes it hiccups, and it makes me jump, or it uses my bladder as a squeeze toy,' Lily said, screwing up her face, 'other times it just … I dunno, responds I guess. Like there now, sudden movements or noises make it kicks me.'

'Is it sore?'

'Far from.'

Her fingers are in his hair again, brushing it out of his eyes and trying to make it lie flat. Lost cause. But Lily enjoys a challenge.

There's a creak on the stairs and both parents share a significant look. James smiles as he leans in and kisses her softly on the lips, his hands on either side of her torso. Brown eyes appear at the door way, and a boy of no more than sixteen peers in, before gasping and pulling back again.

Neither James nor Lily respond, they know who he is. In fact, they'd been expecting him any day now.

'I love you,' James whispers, kissing down her neck, 'sometimes I think I couldn't love you anymore, but then I wake up and you're still there, beside me, wearing my ring and carrying my baby.' He reaches her belly again, kissing the area of skin just above her bellybutton.

Lily stares at him fondly, her hand lifts up and runs down his cheek, over his high cheekbones, and morning stubble. 'Hey,' she says softly, '_our_ baby.'

He lifts her hand and kisses it. A small tear escapes Lily's eyes, her _incredible _eyes, as she pushes herself into a sitting position and pulls James in for another kiss.

'I love you, James Potter,' she mumbles against his lips, her legs wrapping around his waist.

The boy at the door slumps back against the wall, staring in shock at the couple on the bed. He runs his fingers through his hair, his breath coming uneven and ragged. He grabs his Turner and disappears. But the couple don't notice.

Because although James could swear there's nothing better than morning kisses, even he can admit they're petty beside morning sex.

---

The Great Hall

May, 1977

For the longest time, James and Lily didn't look at each other. They didn't acknowledge each others existence or anything that happened in Divination.

'He's moving on,' Sirius said to Remus one day at breakfast, 'and may I be the first to say thank God. It's about time Jamie went out and got himself laid. He's done more pining after Legs than an evergreen forest.'

'Cute,' Remus muttered, pouring himself some tea.

'Everyone is sick of it, Moony,' Sirius said, waving a butter knife about the room, 'Wormtail, McKinnon, Lee, Carter, Meadowes, Bones, Chant, Podmore, Diggle, Vanc-'

'Yeah, yeah I get the picture.'

'Just last month McGonagall smacked him around the back of the head with our text book cause he wasn't paying attention he just staring at Evans.'

Remus sighed, leaning back on his chair he looked up at the clear blue sky and wondered what the hell had happened to his best friend. He knew it was something to do with Divination, but he didn't understand what.

'Prongs tells me you were a girl in a past life,' Sirius said, pushing a bit of his growing black hair behind one ear.

Remus froze. Sirius threw his head back and made a noise than could only be described as _cackling_.

'Yeah well, you were a swan,' Remus said, as Sirius cackling turned into indignant spluttering.

'WHAT?'

'One of the children of Lir … if my calculations are correct,' Remus said, breathing in the smell of victory. Well … _fake_ victory, as he was lying. But it was victory none the less.

'A SWAN?'

'Yeah … you know royalty used to use swan necks to wipe their bottoms after they'd been to the toilet?' Remus paused, 'Think that's a sign of things to come?'

'WHAT? I'M GOING TO BE USED AS THE QUEEN MUM'S PIECE OF BOG ROLL?'

'Please, Padfoot, people are staring.'

Sirius leapt up off his chair, his inky black hair falling around his face. 'Divination is a pile of shit, Moony, you know that! Remember third year? The crystal ball! I asked it what would I be when I'm older and it said a INTERIOR DESIGNER!'

'Well, it didn't necessarily say that. It just showed you a pair of curtains. But it seems oddly fitting now that we've learnt you used to be a _swan_,' Remus said calmly.

'BOLLOCKS!' Sirius yelped, quickly walking away, muttering loudly under his breath.

A few minutes later, both boys were walking alongside each other, arguing in low voices about a range of things that were by no means intellectual. They both clambered through the portrait hole and stopped talking abruptly as Lily's friend, Dorcas Meadowes, attacked them.

'Guys,' she began, sounding flustered, 'guys, something's happened.'

'James?' Sirius said, his face had gone paper white. Dorcas shook her head, 'Oh God, Peter?'

She shook her head again, grabbing Sirius's hand she lead him forward towards a group of people who were crowded around something … or someone.

'It's Lily … her … her parents.'

She didn't need to say anymore, the crowd parted and Remus saw Lily sitting on the floor, her legs curled beneath her feet, her eyes blotchy and swollen. Her sobs wretched at Remus's heart but she wasn't the only one who had his attention. Because someone had their arms wrapped around her, they were whispering quietly in her ear, and pushing her long red hair out of her eyes.

'James,' Sirius breathed, pushing forward and falling to his knees beside the pair.

'Car crash,' James choked, 'they didn't .. I mean … they're-'

He didn't say anymore, everyone in that room knew what must have happened. Lily clung desperately to James, gripping tightly to the front of his robes, her sobs echoed around the room, followed closely by James's soft whispers of comfort.

---

Divination Tower

May, 1977

Lily Evans stormed across the Divination room, angry tears spilling down her face as she kicked a chair which fell over and skidded across the room.

'You KNEW, you MUST have knew!' She sobbed, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

'I knew.' Professor Lufkin said silently. She was perched on the end of her desk, her hands wrapped around her mug of tea, with Professor McGonagall sitting on a chair behind her. Both women watched the younger girl storm back and forth across the classroom.

'I knew you would know … I mean … you're not a normal Divination teacher, are you? You have little patience for tarot, or-or crystal balls … omens … anything like that. You specialise in time magic.'

Professor Lufkin nodded.

'THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME?' She screamed, tipping a table upside down, the ink well that was on it smashed into a million glittering pieces, the red ink splattered, like blood, over her robes.

'Miss. Evans, please calm down,' Professor McGonagall begged, though she made no move to stop her.

'I CAN'T! MY PARENTS ARE DE- .. THEY'RE DEA..' She kicked another chair, then lifted a crystal ball and threw it against the opposite wall. Both professors winced, but said nothing.

Only this morning she'd found out her parents had died the night before in a car accident near their home. Her sister was arriving at the school later this evening, to take Lily back to her own apartment for the funeral and to make arrangements. This seemed to have sparked mood swing in Lily, she went from sobbing to screaming. If Professor McGonagall had any less sense she might have blamed her red hair.

'Miss. Evans … Lily, please,' Minerva McGonagall begged, standing up from her chair.

Lily threw herself down onto a chair in front of the two teachers. She felt sick from crying so hard, her mouth was dry and like sandpaper and her face felt cracked and sore.

'I wasn't even there,' she sniffed, 'and I'm their daughter, I don't want to go with my sister, she hates me, because I- I'm a witch.'

'She doesn't hate you, Miss. Evans,' Lufkin said, sharing a look with McGonagall, 'she just doesn't understand.'

'She needs you, Lily, now more than ever,' Minerva said, leaning across the desk.

'Things will work out,' Professor Lufkin said softly, a little twinkle in her eye.

There was a brief silence, which was soon interrupted as Professor Lufkin started coughing, her eyes watering as she thumped her chest with her fist.

'Are you okay, Patricia?' Minerva asked, rubbing her friends back.

'I'm fine,' she gasped, sliding off her desk and wiping her eyes.

Everything clicked into place for Lily.

'You're … you're sick,' Lily said, her eyes wide.

Both Professors stopped, turning around to face the younger girl.

'Yes,' Professor Lufkin said after a few seconds, 'I've a wizarding disease … one of those long lasting ones that destroys your immune system and everything in-between. I'm dying, unfortunately.'

'That's why we could see your time line in class … because it's coming to its end, it's getting read to leave anyway. You said you were special.'

She nodded.

'Aren't you scared?' Lily whispered, staring up at her professor, her eyes still rimmed with tears.

'No,' she smiled wryly, 'I'll be about again.'

Lily stared at her, and the professor winked back. A tiny smile broke out across Lily's face.

---

The Great Hall

June 1977

'You're back?' James said, staring up at the girl who'd caused a breakout of chatter as she entered the Great Hall.

'Well obviously, Potter,' Lily said, slipping into the seat opposite the marauders.

'Welcome back, Lily.'

'Thank you, Remus.'

'You alright, Legs?'

'Fantastic, thank you for asking, and it's _Lily_, in my presence. Hello Peter.'

'Hi,' he grinned, pouring her some pumpkin juice.

'How was the funeral?' Sirius asked. Both James and Remus could've smacked him for being so bleeding blunt.

'Depressing, but I didn't expect any different. Thank you, Peter.'

'And ... and you're okay?' James asked, slightly gob smacked that she hadn't broken down yet. In her shoes, he probably would've.

'Yes,' she smiled slightly, 'did I miss anything?'

'Professor Lufkin collapsed.'

'What?' She said, the smile dropping off her face.

'In her third year class or something, she went to St. Mungo's, we don't know if she'll be back,' Sirius said, stabbing a potato with his fork.

Lily looked between Remus and James, they both shrugged, turning their attentions back to their dinner.

Later that night Lily wrote a long letter to her Professor. In it, she told her about her parents funeral and about how she's going to live with her sister this summer. She mentioned everything she'd done so far on her Divination assignment, about what she'd learned about herself, and her past lives. She confessed her fears about James. Not just that she might end up spending the rest of her life with him, but that she's was thinking it might not be all that bad. She thanked her for realising that her parents may not be around anymore, but they _are_ somewhere, and how she'd realised not to be so scared of death. She thanked her for so many things, and wished her a speedy recovery.

The Professor got the letter, and in a shaky scrawl sent her a quick reply.

__

Dearest Lily,

Thank you. But don't put all your faith in this fluky subject of mine. Minerva will back me up on this.

Good luck, look after yourself.

(and the little one in a few years. I hear Harry is a wonderful name.)

- Patricia.

It was the last letter she ever sent.

---

Sirius's Home

August, 1981

The Divination time line results weren't mentioned again for many years. But around three years later, Peter, Sirius, Lily, James and a baby Harry were crowed in a room in Sirius's house. Upon the kitchen table, there was an old sheet of parchment paper, covered in Remus Lupin's neat writing.

'I can't believe you're putting all your faith in this, James,' Lily spat, hitching Harry further up her hip.

'Come on, Lily, you know it makes sense,' he said pleadingly, but he didn't look at her. None of them could bare to look at each other. They just sat around the table, staring at the parchment.

'James, please,' Lily whispered, 'please, Remus is … he's your best friend. My best friend.'

'NOT IF HE'S THE SPY!' James roared, finally turning around to look at his wife. Lily winced, and Harry buried his head into her shoulder.

'You're scaring the baby,' she said, her voice shaky.

Sirius put his head in his hands, his long hair pulled back in a ponytail. Lily could've sworn his bottom lip was shaking. Peter couldn't tear his eyes away from the sheet of paper, he was slightly green.

'How do you know?' Sirius said from behind his hands, his voice shaking. 'You're talking out your arse, Prongs, you … you are.'

'No, he never wanted me to see this … not because he was a woman, but because _he_ was the traitor.'

'No,' Sirius said, lifting his head out of his hands, 'no, no James this … he's _not_, this is just because he's a werewolf.'

'It's _not_ because he's a werewolf, I know he can't help that … but it comes into consideration, he's a _dark _creature.'

'BE REASONABLE, JAMES!'

'I AM! HE WAS AOIFE IN THAT PAST LIFE. YOU KNOW THE STORY! YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT! SHE PRACTICALLY _KILLED_ LIR AND EVA'S CHILDREN!'

'JAMES PLEASE, YOU'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH ON THIS!' Lily shouted back.

'Lily,' he said turning on her, 'we don't know … we just don't, he could be Lily and I don't want to take any chances.'

He was sobbing, her husband was actually sobbing. It wasn't long till Sirius had his head in his arms again, his back shaking slightly.

'I can't, Lily, please. You have to understand I can't take any risks,' he walked towards her, embracing her and his son, 'please, _please_, Voldemort is after us, and I don't want him to hurt my family.'

He whispered against her hair, tears falling down both of their faces. Harry looked between his mum and dad, not quite sure what was going on. He looked to his godfather, who slipped him out of his mum's grip and into his own.

'Come on little one, mummy, daddy and uncle Peter need some alone time. They know what they have to do.'

They both went into the living room, Harry gurgling excitedly to his godfather.

'Dada!' He squealed, tugging on Sirius's hair.

'Goddada, yes, well done,' Sirius said, sitting down on the sofa and bouncing Harry up and down on his knee.

'You hungry?' Harry shook his head. 'Potty?' Again, Harry shook his head. Sirius beamed, ruffling his godson's hair, enticing a giggle out of him.

'Moonie?' He said after a little while, his fingers tangled in Sirius's hair again. Sirius bit his lip, supporting Harry's back with his hand.

'Uncle Remus might not be around anymore, Harry. Daddy thinks he might have done something really bad, so we're going to wait a little while.' Harry stared back at him. He didn't understand. Sirius wasn't surprised … he didn't either.

'Sirius?' Lily's head appeared at the door.

'Alright, Legs?'

'Can I talk to you?'

Sirius patted the space beside him on the sofa. Lily sat down, her face puffy, her hair falling in limp strands around her face.

'I don't believe … I don't want to believe Remus could do that. To us. Or the Order.'

Sirius bounced Harry again.

'But I think … James is right, we can't have any risks. Not just for our sakes, but for Harry.' She said, leaning over and running her finger over her son's cheek, smiling fondly at him.

'Peter is going to be secret keeper?'

'Yes.'

'Good. And no one will know?'

'Nope, just us four. No risks.'

No one spoke, the silence only punctuated by Harry's content gurgles.

After a while James and Peter came in, they all sat in silence, avoiding each others gaze. The lights eventually died down but they continued sitting, in silent mourning. Though no one had died … not really.

After Harry fell asleep on Peter's shoulder, both James and Lily made their excuses and left.

Sirius stood up, mere minutes after they'd left and grabbed a picture of James, Remus, Peter and Sirius off the mantle piece, and threw it into the fire. It smashed and the picture inside immediately began curling up and burning.

He turned angrily on Peter, who recoiled. 'He was my _best friend_, and look what he's done, he's killed the fucking marauders,' he said in a icy hiss.

'I … I don't …' Peter began, but he didn't really know what to say.

'You look after them now,' Sirius said, the light from the fire flickering over his face laminating shining eyes, 'you have to … please.'

Sirius couldn't do it anymore, he turned around and walked out of the room, his heavy footsteps on the stairs, followed closely by a door slam.

Peter sat by himself in Sirius's living room, obviously having to show himself out. No one was there to notice the tiny glint in his eye, or the subconscious rubbing of his left arm.

---

The Burrow

February, 1998

Harry stared out the window. Later tonight, he was leaving with Ron and Hermione to go to Hogwarts and have the prophesised final battle with Voldemort. Though of course, no one knew. He wasn't nervous, or angry, or upset … he didn't really know what to feel. All he knew was that in a few days it would all be over, one way or another.

There was a knock on the door.

'Come in,' Harry said from the window ledge, his arms wrapped tightly around his legs.

'Hi,' Remus said, coming in and sitting opposite Harry on the window sill.

'How're you?' Harry asked, attempting a reassuring smile, but realising his face was hardly moving.

'I'm fine, and you?'

Harry shrugged. 'It feels weird, not being at Hogwarts I mean … just being here, no Sirius or Dumbledore or-' Harry sighed. 'Ron and Hermione keep me grounded though.'

'Have you found all the Horcruxes?'

'All of them bar one … I don't know what the hell it could be … I guess it'll turn up. Hermione and Ron are researching at the minute … or so they say.'

'I see.' Remus chuckled. He was grasping an old book in his hands, which looked like it hadn't been touched in a very long time.

'What's that?'

'A Divination text book,' Remus said lightly, ignoring Harry's raised eyebrow.

'Why would you have a Divination text book?'

'Because I did it for NEWT, as did your mum and dad actually.'

Harry sat up straighter, all his attentions focused on Remus. It wasn't unexpected, one brief mention of his parents and Harry always paid attention. Especially now. Harry was slowly coming closer to the age that they died, and any titbits of information he could get he lapped up.

'Really?'

'Yeah, technically it brought them together, you know,' Remus paused, handing the text book to Harry, 'this was your father's book.'

Harry opened to the first page, and immediately saw hundreds of little scribbles. Mainly his mum's name and tiny hearts, brief mentions of Remus loving some Professor Lufkin and drawings of snitches and broomsticks.

'You know your name?'

'Harry?'

'No, no, the 'Chosen One'?'

Harry scowled as Remus grinned.

'There's another reason why they call you this, it's a lot more deep than the idea you were in some prophecy that an inadequate Divination teacher blurted out.'

'Should I be scared?' Harry asked, idly flicking through the text book.

'No, no. But, over those twelve years that I had no one, your mum, dad and I suppose Peter dead, and Sirius in jail, I had a lot of time to myself and I did a lot of research into a thing called the Thread of Life, and past life regression.'

Harry stared blankly back at him.

'Well, it's the idea we've all been here before. Years ago, the Fates created this one soul, one spirit, that was put on mortal earth among the magicks to battle over and over again against the evil of each time.'

'Oh, let me guess, it's _me_?'

Remus nodded.

'My mum and dad knew this?' Another nod.

'You've done some remarkable stuff in your life, Harry … or lives should I say. I'm pretty sure you were Godric Gryffindor.'

Harry laughed. 'Yeah right.'

'Yeah, and you were Saint Patrick.'

'Okay now that is complete -if you'll excuse my French- bullshit.'

'No, no, it makes a lot of sense, think about it, what is Saint Patrick most famous for doing?'

'Well, chasing the snakes out of Ireland, I'm guessing.'

'Exactly, Harry,' Remus grinned.

'Please don't try to tell me Saint Patrick was a parselmouth.'

'Of course, how else do you think he did it?'

Harry shook his head laughing. 'You're mad.'

Remus smiled leaning his head against the window.

'If it is true, Harry, Tyche made you so you couldn't be defeated. You'll win, Harry, you will. Whether you go tomorrow or not.' He added with a wink.

Harry stared at him through narrowed eyes. 'How did you know?'

'I over heard the three of you.'

'Ah.'

'Don't worry, I haven't told anyone.'

'Why?'

'Harry I really do try not to put so much faith into Divination since although it did bring your parents together, it broke our friendship apart.' Remus sighed, his hands intertwined on his lap. 'The last time I saw your parents was three months before they died. The third time they cheated Voldemort. Your father completely blanked me, the other couldn't bare to look me in the eye. I didn't, at the time, know why. Of course I do now. They thought I was the spy.'

Harry stared. 'But how could they? I mean … _you_?'

'They thought in a past life I had betrayed them, and see, past lives tend to repeat themselves. It was my fault, my miss information. I never really was that good at the subject. I mixed the traitor, Aoife up with her sister. It also didn't help I was a werewolf … it's in my instinct to go to the one who offers me, well flesh. And you can understand that Dumbledore wouldn't give me that,' Remus said, smiling sadly.

'They … I mean … they thought you were someone else?'

'Yes. It turns out that someone else was Peter. Not me. I got the time numbers mixed up.'

'See? It's a fluky subject!'

'It is in a part, when being done by someone as untalented as myself or Professor Trelaweny. But I can tell you that an extremely talented woman told me about you when I was in sixth year. It is because of this I firmly believe you are the Chosen One, I believe you are the soul belonging to Tyche, and therefore _any_ decision you make will be the right one.'

'You're mad,' Harry said again, but he was smiling, 'though thank you for the vote of confidence.'

---

Godric's Hollow

October, 1981

James threw his fifteen month old baby into the air again, swiftly catching him and attacking him with tickles. Harry's infectious laughter rang around Godric's hollow, making both parents chuckle too.

'Again!' Harry squealed, jumping up and down in his daddy's arms.

'Nu-huh, I think Daddy is getting tired,' Lily said gently, 'even though Daddy is very, very strong he's an _old_ man.'

'Hey!' James said indignantly. Harry giggled, reaching his pudgy arms out for his mum to lift him.

'Hey big boy,' she grinned, lifting him out of her husband's arms, 'gosh, you're getting heavy.'

'I'm so glad he got your eyes,' James commented, as Harry sucked on his sleeve, his vivid green eyes darting back and forth between his parents.

'Aw, and I'm so annoyed he got your hair,' she said cheekily, her lips brushing his.

James grinned goofily as Harry clapped, and bounced around in his mother's arms.

'Happy Halloween, love,' Lily whispered, as James wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

'Happy Halloween,' he replied. Though his reply slightly muffled against the skin on her neck.


	3. Chapter 3

The Forbidden Forest

February, 1998

Hermione stumbled through the forest, her sobs exploding from her chest unrestrained.

He's dead, he's dead, oh God, he's dead.

Her robes were ripped, and long gashes ran over her face and legs. As she kept running through the forest, the shouts and screams from Hogwarts echoing off the trees and bushes and ringing in Hermione's ears.

Flashes of images ran through her head. Ron jumping in front of her, the sickly green light, the force of his weight hitting her chest and sending her flying into the tree behind … his body on top of her.

She stopped, leaning heavily on a tree as her chest moved up and down rapidly.

'Please,' she begged to no one, 'please, please I can't bear this.'

I love him. I loved him. I loved him. We made love this morning, we did, he whispered he loved me in my ear and I nearly cried. He was alive. He made me feel alive. Please. Please.

'HARRY!' She screamed into the thick gathering of trees. Her bottom lip trembled as she realised she was completely alone, bar the few hundred Death Eaters scattered around the school.

She continued running, the blood thumping in her ears, her chest feeling like it was being split in two, her legs feeling like rubber.

If he's dead too I don't think I could go on, I'll fall on the ground and never get up. I'll let the Death Eaters have me, and give into a new era, full of muggleborn persecution and torture. I'll be hanged or raped or killed with all the other war criminals, and I'll be with my boys again. Safe.

'Hermione!' It's a weak growl but Hermione's chest swelled with hope. She ran towards the faint calling. Her legs moving faster than she intended and she ended up falling over herself a few times.

'HARRY!' She yelled again, pushing herself through a huge hedge and as she appeared on the other side, her insides seemed to disappear and in their place, were blocks of ice.

'Dementors,' she croaked to herself, her legs finally buckling and she landed heavily on the ground.

Across the way, Harry was desperately trying to produce a Patronus but failing, bare wisps of silver spurting out of his wand. Hermione didn't know where to look, she knew she was screaming but all she could hear was the constant pounding in her ears.

Harry fell backwards, his head smashing off a tree stump. Though he had no time to be dazed, or cry out in pain, as the dementor at that precise moment, swooped over the hero and locked it's lips over his.

---

Godric's Hollow

October, 1981

'Lily, take Harry and run!' James shouted.

Her face. God, her face. She's so scared. The one thing I said I'd protect her from and I can't even do that right. Harry doesn't know what's going on, just that there's a lot of noise outside the house and mummy and daddy are scared.

'Daddy?' He asked quietly.

'Harry, be quiet for mummy, okay?' James pleaded, kissing his forehead. Staring fondly at those magnificent, green eyes. Harry nodded.

'Lily, my love, go … go hide.'

She turned to go but stopped, spinning around again and kissing him.

Just one last time, flashed through his head, and before he knew it he was crying, and he couldn't breath. Not because he was scared but because he couldn't believe the injustice of it all. She was staring up at him completely lost with what to do. _She knows. She knows this is the last time._

, flashed through his head, and before he knew it he was crying, and he couldn't breath. Not because he was scared but because he couldn't believe the injustice of it all. She was staring up at him completely lost with what to do. 

'There's so many things I want to-'

She silenced him with her finger on his lips.

'We'll see each other again,' she whispered. And somehow, James believed her.

No I love yous, no claims of undying love. They know already. Just one look, and everything was said.

Another bang. The door rips off it's hinges. There was manic laughing and the lights went out.

Lily ran, Harry cradled tightly in her arms.

We're only twenty one … Harry's only one for God's sake. We shouldn't be here, we should be normal. I should be sitting with my friends, my marauders in my living room, with my wife and son celebrating Halloween.

I don't want to die.

Low hissing. James threw as many hexes and curses as he could, but he knew it was no good. Delaying the inevitable.

I don't want to die.

After a while he stopped, smoke assaulting his nostrils and he knows the house is burning.

My home, my home.

He stood in the middle of the living room, the sofa is tipped, the pictures off the wall, cabinets blown open, and the windows smashed.

I don't want to die.

He stood tall, throwing his wand aside. His chin raised in defiance, tears dripping down his cheeks. No famous last words. No retaliation. No begging for his life. James Potter died with only the thoughts of his wife and child circling his head.

I don't want them to die.

----

The Forbidden Forest

February, 1998

'Harry,' she cried. He was lying slumped on the ground, his glasses askew and eyes large and staring. Blood trickled from his forehead. _He's dead, he's dead_.

She crawled forward, her vision blurred, knees scraped and sore.

'Take me,' she begged, 'take me as well.'

The dementor turned to her, but seemed to freeze half way. It's cloak rippling somewhere near its stomach … it looked like it was _choking_.

Hermione's breath hitched. Something moved in the corner of her eye, a scream escaped her throat as she saw Harry stand up, lift his wand and shout 'expecto patronum!'.

The dementor fled. The light from Harry's stag illuminating the small area of grass.

Hermione looked up at Harry, her mouth open, eyes wide as galleons.

'W-who are you?' She asked, quickly scrambling backwards away from him.

He'd survived a dementor's kiss. This was ridiculous. The Boy who Lived … how much could he actually _live_ through?

'I don't … I don't know.' Harry said, falling to the ground. His fingers traced the outline of his lips. His eyes met Hermione's and Hermione was completely speechless.

She saw then what she hadn't seen since first year. She'd heard about it a lot in-between those times, but had often waved the notion away. She saw Harry, but he wasn't Harry … he was some sort of … _hero_. Some saviour. It was like there was a halo around his head and he was dipped in some sort of … glowing light. It was scary. _He_ was scary. This imposing, untouchable creature that had all this weight and responsibility on his shoulders. She was in complete awe. Stunned into silence.

'I was the last Horcrux.'

'W-what?' Hermione shuddered as his eyes met hers.

'The dementor took Voldemort's soul … not mine. That's why … that's why they're so attracted to me … dementors I mean … I have extras I guess.'

'You're … you …' Hermione didn't know what to say.

'You're hurt,' he said. Not daring to test his legs he crawled over to her, gently touching his fingers to her bleeding cheek. She winced.

'Ron's dead.' She said quietly. His hand froze on her cheek.

'Wha- Hermi … no. H-how?'

'Killing curse. He saved me,' she started crying again, silent tears cascading down her cheeks, 'he saved me, Harry, he _saved_ me.'

Both friends sat staring at each other, feeling suddenly empty, like they hadn't eaten in years and then been kicked in the stomach repeatedly.

'You're … he's - he can't be … are you sure?' Harry mumbled, his hand falling away from her face. Somewhere in the distance there was another explosion.

'He jumped in front of me, the curse hit him, the force of the spell meant he went knocking into me … I fell against a tree … I blacked out. I think they thought I was dead too so they left … I woke up … he was just _staring_ at me,' Hermione broke down into hysterical sobs, Harry pulled himself forward and wrapped his arms around her, 'I even laughed, I thought he was alive.'

Harry shushed her, pushing her bloody, matted hair out of her eyes.

'I'll kill them,' he whispered against her hair.

'Not if I get there first,' she said. Tears still streaming down her face, though her wand already in hand.

---

Lupin's House

June, 1995

They stood and stared at each other for what seemed like years.

Lie low at Lupin's for a while. I will contact you there.

'You going to ask me in, then?'

'Yes, of course,' he said, remembering himself and stepping backwards to allow his old friend in.

'Thanks.' Sirius looked around the hallway. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, the wood on the skirting board was chipped, and the carpet rough and discoloured. There were a few paintings on the wall, each of them faded by the sun.

'I didn't know you were coming,' Remus said after a while, as Sirius stood in his hallway, analyzing the decaying décor.

'Dumbledore told me to,' Sirius mumbled, turning to face his best friend, _or is it ex-best friend these days?_ 'I wouldn't have … but … I have no where else. Not really.'

'I understand.'

'You always did.'

They suddenly couldn't hold each others gaze anymore and ended up looking at everything else but each other.

God, he's so different, Remus thought, _his hair has never been that long, he's never looked that scruffy … or tanned for that matter. No swaggering, or cockiness, just … awkwardness._

, Remus thought, 

'You're so different,' Remus blurted after a while, supporting himself by leaning against the crumbling wall.

Sirius shrugged. 'Your friends dying followed by twelve years of prison tends to do that too you.'

Still painfully blunt though.

'I'm sorry,' he whispers. Remus knows he's not apologising for his frankness. He's so quiet and gruff that Remus almost doesn't hear him.

'You don't need to be. In your shoes I'd have done the same.'

'No, no you wouldn't have,' Sirius says, finally meeting his eyes again, 'you'd have been all logical and done something smarter. You wouldn't have kept things to yourself … wouldn't have picked _him_.' Sirius spat, his eyes flashing.

'I would,' Remus said calmly, 'he was my friend too.'

'Bastard,' Sirius mumbled under his breath, staring at the floor.

'Voldemort is back?' Remus asked.

'Yes,' Sirius sighed, slumping against the opposite wall, 'you know what fucks me off the most?'

'I would think a list of things.'

'No, just that he's back … it makes every thing … well Lily and James's death so … so _insignificant_,' Sirius laughed emptily, 'he even managed to cheat them out of a heroic death.'

'It wasn't pointless, Sirius, without it, Harry wouldn't be here.'

Sirius smiled. 'He's so grown up … I swear, when I saw him for the first time I nearly called him James. He's … he's … so skinny kid, I mean, but so was James. But he wasn't that bad. He's loyal too … to that girl and boy of his … and they're loyal to him. Said they'd die for him. Remind me of us … kind of. And, bloody hell his _eyes_.'

'Lily's eyes.'

'Yeah, it's like … she's there … inside him staring out at us,' he grinned reminiscently, 'they'd be so proud of him.'

Remus nodded, his fingers running along the wall behind his back, bits of the plaster crumbling off in his hands.

'How're you?' Sirius asked, tugging awkwardly on the sleeve of his black robes.

'I'm good, right now, I'm good,' Remus said.

'Liar.' Remus blinked. 'Last week was the full moon, so I'm guessing your _furry little problem _is causing the fresh scratches on your neck and arm, and probably the rest of your body. Which makes me think you aren't taking your medicine, naughty boy, either because you can't afford it or more likely you don't want to be yourself for a night.'

'Well, yes I-'

'Also your ex best friend from almost fourteen years ago has just turned up on your doorstep demanding you host him for an unspecified amount of time and you must be hurting because this so called friend once wished you were dead for something you so obviously didn't do.' Sirius's voice trailed off, guilt twisting its ugly hand around his insides.

'You're still my best friend, Padfoot,' Remus says quietly, pushing himself off the wall and resting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Sirius looked at him, his eyes brimming with tears. He smiled, showing every one of his teeth.

'Even if you are a big girl,' Remus continued, grinning back at him.

'Look who's talking,' Sirius chuckled, as Remus noticed a tear dripping off the end of his own nose.

---

St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

July 1980/December 1998

'James! I swear to bloody Tyche if you don't stop pacing Remus will bite you.' Sirius growled, pointing an angry finger at the empty chair beside him.

'I will not.' Remus scowled.

'You bloody will our next time we have to deal with your _furry little problem_ I'll make sure it's not just biting people you have to worry about.'

'Eh?'

'Fleas, mate.'

Remus winced, remembering the last time he had fallen victim to Padfoot fleas. He'd scratched so much a rumour spread around Hogwarts he had a magical sexually transmitted disease. People only started sitting beside him in the Great Hall and classes again when his friends reassured everyone it was just fleas from his infamous ill tempered rabbit.

'I can't sit, bad things happen when I sit, Healers run in and … and … I can't breath … I think I'm having a heart attack,' he gasped, clutching at his chest.

'No but you'll give yourself a panic attack if you keep on like that,' Peter said, looking up from his newspaper.

'I'm dying, oh God, I'm dying,' James cried, flapping his arms in front of his face as if he was trying to fly off. The other three marauders glanced at each other, before simultaneously rolling their eyes.

'Mr. Potter?' A young pretty witch popped her head around the door, showing no visible reaction to James's madness. She's probably seen it all before, Sirius thought.

'OH MY GOD THAT'S HAPPENED?' James yelled, stopping mid-flap, his face panic stricken.

'Nothing, Mr. Potter, you're wife is asking for you.'

'Asking or screaming?' James asked, his voice slightly higher pitched than usual.

'Can you follow me, Mr. Potter?' The nurse asked, deliberately avoiding his gaze.

Sirius gave him a double thumbs up. 'Go on, Prongse!'

'You should go, you know, you got her into this situation.' Remus says offhandedly.

'Oh! And don't let her grab your hand … you know Frank Longbottom? His wife broke three of his fingers while giving birth.' Peter advised.

James did a very rude gesture to his three best friends and ran out of the room, his high pitched voice echoing down the corridor.

'They'll be okay, right?' Peter asked, putting his newspaper down.

'Oh no,' Remus said, 'the birth bit is the easy part-'

'_Dare you _to tell Legs that, right now.'

'After this, they'll be constantly arguing over the little Potter, James will probably spend more nights at our places than in Godric's Hollow, they won't want to see us anymore because we'll be up to their eyeballs in nappies and baby robes.'

'Bu-'

'And,' Remus continued, 'they'll be sleepless nights at least for the next four years … if the baby isn't having a bad dream, needing the toilet or needing food it'll cry for what seems like no reason for hours on end or just purely demand attention.'

'James'll go mental,' Peter said, shaking his head.

'Oh no, I think they'll be fine,' Remus said.

'How so?'

'Well they looked after Sirius for those few months after school … it'd be much the same.'

Sirius was just about to jump on Remus when James came in through the door, a little bundle of blue blankets in his arms.

'Hey guys,' James whispered, not taking his eyes off the package in his arms, 'there's someone I want you to meet.'

'Remus … Remus?'

'Ah … ugh, what?' Remus spluttered, quickly pushing himself off the uncomfortable hospital chairs.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you,' Harry smiled, shutting the door quietly behind him.

'How's Hermione?' Remus yawned, readjusting his reading glasses.

'They're cleaning her and the baby up,' Harry grinned sitting beside his adopted godfather, 'we can go in in a little bit.'

'We?' Remus said, his brow creased.

'Of course,' Harry said sincerely, 'we're the closest thing she's got to family … bar the Weasleys and things.'

'When is Molly coming?' Remus asked, looking around the empty waiting room.

'She's on her way, wants to see her granddaughter.'

'I can imagine.'

'I'm scared, Remus.' Harry said, after a long pause.

'Of the baby?'

'Everything … just raising Ron's kid. Because I will, I don't want to leave all to Hermione,' he sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm, 'we're only nineteen, but I have enough money to support us both. I owe it to my best friend, my _brother_ to look after his daughter and his love … and Molly will help with nappies and things. And you … er … only if you want to.'

'I'll do my best, Harry,' Remus said, but in all honesty, Remus wasn't sure he'd be around long enough to make that big an impact.

'Thank you,' Harry smiled.

After a little while, a nurse came and lead Remus and Harry into Hermione's room.

She was sitting on the hospital bed, her face flushed and curly hair sticking to her forehead.

'Hey guys,' she whispered. It was then Remus saw her outstretched arm, her hand resting in a little crib beside her bed.

'You okay?' Harry said, rushing to her side, grasping her hand in his. She kissed his cheek.

'I'm wonderful,' she said softly, looking back to the crib.

Remus approached the crib slowly, peering nervously in.

'Look Remus,' Hermione beamed, pushing her red hair behind her ear, her green eyes spilling tears down her cheeks, 'he looks like James doesn't he? He'll be such a handsome boy, my Harry.'

'Sorry?' Remus said, looking up at her. Brown hair. Brown eyes.

'I said she looks like her daddy,' Hermione sniffed, the smile never leaving her face, 'red hair … beautiful blue eyes.'

'I think baby girl will have your brown eyes, Hermione,' Harry pointed as the tiny newborn opened one eye quickly to peek around and shut it again.

'Oh Lily he has your eyes, thank God, or it'd just be a mini-James … how awful.'

'Did you say something?' Remus asked. Both Harry and Hermione looked blurred. Remus realised it was because he was crying.

'No, Remus.' There was incoherent whispering, and Harry kissed her forehead and disappeared.

'Remus?'

He looked up at her. It physically hurt him to tear his eyes away from her little one.

'I … I'm sorry.' He gulped, trying to smile.

'It's okay,' she said hoarsely, 'I know what's wrong.'

'How?' he choked, falling back into a chair that was placed near the crib.

'While I was pregnant Harry give me his dad's divination book,' she shrugged,' it gave me something to do while I was stuck in bed with the baby lying on my sciatic nerves.'

Hermione had had a troubled pregnancy, full of highs and lows. Especially in the last month or so, Hermione was in a lot of pain, and the baby often became distressed … or as Hermione described, attempted to hold a game of quidditch in her womb.

'I learnt about the Thread of Life … I'll admit I was a little sceptical at first but it _is_ rather fascinating. The idea of the Fates … time lines, it's incredible. The wizarding world never fails to amaze me.'

'I thought you'd like it, what with your little escapades in third year,' he said, smiling though his tears.

'Well yes. I suppose it fascinated me too because of the little one … I'll have to give her a wizarding ceremony, with her own thread,' she bit her lip, 'I was hoping Harry would stand up with me as a parent … since … well … you know.'

Remus nodded, gazing back at the baby.

'Are you going to tell Harry who's time line you'll be giving her?' Remus asked after another long silence.

'No,' Hermione said, 'it would freak him out … he wouldn't be able to see past it. He wouldn't be able to see her as completely different person.'

Remus understood. He was finding difficulty with it himself.

The door opened again and Harry walked through, carrying two cups of tea, quickly pushing one into Remus's hand.

Moments later, Molly, Ginny, Fred and Bill ran into Hermione's room. A fresh rounds of hugs and tears were exchanged, and the baby was passed around like a present at a birthday party.

'Remus hold the baby girl- God, Hermione would you name my niece already.'

'Oh, I don't know … I really can't think of anything.'

'Ginny I'm … I'm not sure … I haven't held a newborn in years,' Remus spluttered as Ginny shifted the baby into his arms.

'Oh you'll be fine,' Ginny smiled encouragingly as she joined the small huddle around Hermione's bed.

Remus felt awkward, as he tried to get himself and the baby comfortable. She was angelically silent, as Remus swayed her slightly, trying to remember things he did with the newborn Harry to keep him silent.

Remus stared at her, the chatter in the room strangely muted in his ears. He suddenly felt very old, like a granddad … but he supposed in a way he was. Sort of.

'Hey,' he said softly, so no one could hear him, 'it's me, Remus.'

The baby girl yawned at him.

'Typical, _James_,' he said slyly, 'lazy sod, you won't be allowed to keep that up with Hermione as a mum I can tell you. You _girl_.'

'You okay, Remus?' Harry called from the bed.

'Yeah,' Remus said chuckling. Harry and Hermione grinned at each other.

'I have to go ,' he said quietly, 'but just so you know, Lily has already been born -in a very masculine form- to a couple in Ireland. She … or _he'll_ be called Lir, so look out for her … or him. Until then, I have to go find Sirius … since I know you two have arrived safely, I need to find out where our other best friend is. I'm worried about him.'

Remus handed the baby back to Hermione, her hand touched his briefly. He smiled.

'Look after, Eva,' he said, winking.

She blinked. 'Eva?'

He was about to leave when Harry caught him and pulled him off to the side.

'Where are you going?' He said, his voice laden with concern.

'I'll be around,' he said.

'Will you be back?'

'Of course.'

Harry didn't know what to say, but somewhere in the back off his mind a little voice screamed _the last time, the last time_.

'Wh-where are you going?' Harry didn't know where the fresh batch of tears came from. He was just aware that his vision was blurry again and his cheeks were wet.

'Oh,' Remus said quickly, embracing Harry, 'I have to see a man about a dog.'

---

St. Patrick's House

July, 2043

Sometimes, Eva surprises herself with how much she's in love with Lir. When she turns over in the morning and sees him next to her, his red hair streaked with grey standing up in tuffs, his lips slightly parted, the morning stubble growing messily around his chin. Eva's breath hitches in her throat and she has to stare at him for a few seconds before she remembers everything.

Lir, my husband, my love, my best friend. _Giver of my children and the best thing to ever happen to me._

. 

His eyes blink open and she forgets to breathe again, his gorgeous brown eyes look to her _first_ and a sleepy grin tugs at his lips.

'Hey honey,' she says.

'Hi.' It's all Eva can say, because sometimes she's just _speechless_ with how much she loves him.

'Happy twentieth wedding anniversary,' he grins, leaning over and capturing her lips.

'Oh shush I feel so old,' she blushes. She'd found a grey hair just yesterday in her own ginger-y locks. She wasn't impressed.

'But alive,' he yawns, stretching, 'wonderfully alive and still hopelessly in love.'

Eva smiles. 'I'm surprised, in all honestly, I didn't really think we'd get this far … not with who my parents are. Actually, we need to go see mum and dad today … they haven't seen their grandkids in ages. Mum gets stroppy with me if I don't bring them.'

'Okay,' Lir chuckles 'can't imagine why she'd want to see the little terrors though.'

Eva thumps him with a pillow. 'Watch it, mister. They're _our_ little terrors.'

'Naw, but, you know what I mean. You mum dotes on our lot. Never gets fed up with them.'

'Well she likes them … she told me once they remind her of my real dad. Ron. She just likes to see him alive in them.'

Lir moves closer to her, wrapping his arms around her tummy.

'Can't we just stay in bed all day? Bar the windows? Lock the doors?' He pleads, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

'As tempting as that sounds, we don't have time, love.'

He kisses her neck, following a trail of freckles that leads down to her stomach.

A tiny moan escapes her throat and he chuckles. _Evil man_.

'Okay, well,' she says, her cheeks stained pink, 'I always have time for _that_.'

---

Harry and Hermione's House

July, 2043

'Pettigrew's dead.'

'About time,' Harry muttered, striding over to his wife a kissing her hair line. Her wonderful curly greying locks pulled back in a loose ponytail.

'Died in prison, hung himself actually,' Hermione sighed, 'I guess that's all the marauders gone.'

'They've all been gone for a long time … Remus died forty five years ago.' Harry said, scanning the newspaper article over Hermione's shoulder.

'Yeah but technically … I mean … they all were friends … at a time.'

'I suppose.'

'Where are the kids?' She asks, folding the newspaper up and placing it on the table.

'Out in the back garden with Lir … I don't have the energy anymore to keep up with them.'

'Oh Harry, you old man,' Hermione chuckled, wrapping her hands around a hot cup of tea.

Eva walked in. Not seeming to notice her parents, she strode over to the kitchen window and stared out at her husband, smiling contently to herself.

'Alright, Eva?' Harry asked, sharing an amused look with Hermione.

She sighed, ignoring her father and continuing to stare at her husband, who was throwing their fifteen month old son up and down into the air, pausing at stages to tickle him till his laughter was so loud it rang around the kitchen. 'I wonder what I did to disserve him,' she whispered after a little while, as she turned from the window and headed for the backdoor.

Hermione smiled into her mug of tea, the warm steam rising up and tickling her cheeks. 'You've no idea, my girl.'

But Eva had already gone.

---

Notes: I hope there's a few things that you can pick up on, like the repetition of scenes … such as, um, Godric giving Rowena the lily and James wanting to give Lily some. The James/Lily scene in their bedroom and the Eva/Lir scene. The ending linking in with the James/Remus scene near the beginning and the Godric/Rowena scene. If not, well, doesn't matter, just home I entertained you for a little while … and confused you only a little bit :D


End file.
